Angwan Rukuba Attack: Suspects Plead Not Guilty

Yakubu Busari 

Honourable Justice Dafur Fomyil   of the Plateau State High Court, sitting at the Jos Division , has fixed May 8th, 2026, for case management conference ,(CMC) on  Angwan Rukuba Community attacked  ,as the suspects linked to the mayhem pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge.

Justice Dafur Fomyil order the clerk of the court to read the count charge to the suspects on the 28th April,2026 attacked that led to the death of 30 people in Angwan Rukuba Community of Jos North LGA .

“You would recall that the matter could not proceed at the last hearing due to the absence of both defendants counsel  in court.

The clerk who read and interpreted to the suspects in Hausa Language that count 1 was criminal conspiracy contrary to 58 punishable under the Plateau State penal code 59 of 2018 ,the five suspects are:

– Isa Umar Ibrahim 

– Auwalu Abubakar aka Auwalu Dogo

– Musa Abubakar Ibrahim aka Yaroro

– Ado Ibrahim 

– Adamu Isa Alhassan and all pleaded not guilty to the first count charge somewhere at Farin Gada 

However,the second count charge was on terrorism under 269 punishable under section 270 of Plateau State penal code of 2017 leading to the death of 30 people.

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice , Philemon Daffi made application for the suspects to be remanded at the DSS custody but in a swift reaction Mustapha Shaba Ibrahim,SAN, counsel to the first and second defendants opposed vehemently to the application saying that the suspects should be taken to correctional center not the DSS office .

The counsel to the 3rd defendant and 4th defendant ,Barr.Munir Barau Abdullahi and M.S Salisu objected that the decision contravene the court order as paragraph 3 of Plateau State administration of criminal justice act gave a cleared ruling that after the suspects took their plea they should be remanded at the correctional center for easy access by their clients .

While delivery his ruling, Justice Dafur Fomyil order the suspects to be remanded at DSS office pending the completion of the ongoing investigation by urging the defense to filed all processes within 14 days .

Inspite of the offense committed the suspects should be remanded under section 307 of 313 of criminal so it is on record that the order is left under the court .

In conclusion,there was peaceful protest at the Plateau State High Court premises by Farin Gada traders that the suspects are innocent and should be release .

Barr. Mohammed Sani Salihu, counsel for the 3rd defendant frowned that the ruling contravene the constitutional provisions of the right of the suspects.

He said ,  The defendants were arraigned before the court today and took their plea.All of them, including the 3rd defendant, pleaded not guilty to the charges. The custody dispute*  

– After the plea, the issue was where the defendants should be remanded.

– Mr. Salihu argued that once a plea is taken, the law says the defendant should go to prison custody, not DSS custody.

– He cited paragraph 4 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Rules to back this. His position: there’s no legal basis for a remand order to DSS custody post-arraignment.

– Despite that, the court sent them back to DSS custody. He’s not happy with that decision but said they’ll follow the case.

Allegations of abuse, Mr. Salihu pointed out that the 3rd defendant has a visible injury — a fracture in his hand. 

He alleged the defendant was “seriously beaten by DSS” to compel him to admit an offence he didn’t commit.

 He didn’t want to say much more on that, but drew attention to the hand injury as evidence.

Salisu  objected that the next steps from counsel,

– The legal team will go to DSS custody, meet the defendants, take their defense, and file “all the necessary applications.”

– He emphasized: “we will follow it, it’s a court of law.”

Mustafa Shaba Ibrahim, SAM, for defendants 1 & 2, raised the access concern. The usual argument is:  

– If remanded in prison custody: Defense counsel has regulated but generally “unhindered access” during visiting hours, plus the defendant is under the Nigerian Correctional Service, not the investigating agency.

– If remanded in DSS custody: There’s fear the investigating agency controls access, which can frustrate defense prep. 

But here the court ordered DSS to grant you custody/access. That’s the court trying to balance security concerns vs the defendants’ constitutional right to counsel under Section 36(6)(c) of the 1999 Constitution. 

The real test now is whether DSS actually complies with the court’s order. If they don’t, your team can file an application for enforcement or contempt.

Reports indicated, the state government filed charges of criminal conspiracy to commit terrorism and other related offences against the first four suspects. 

The fifth suspect, Alhassan, was charged with criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, illegal possession of firearms, and illegally dealing in arms and ammunition.